February 5th, 2013: Tight Little Island aka Whiskey Galore

What It’s About: At the height of the Second World War, the inhabitants of Todday, a tiny Scottish island, suffer most from a lack of whiskey due to rationing. Everything changes when a cargo ship grounds off the coast of Todday, a ship laden with thousands of cases of Scotch. Only one man stands between the inhabitants of Todday and this bounty: (English) Home Guard Captain Paul Waggett (Basil Radford).

Why Watch it Today?: Tight Little Island is a beloved comedy from Ealing Studios, but it is also based on a true story. On February 5th, 1941, the SS Politician ran aground off the island of Eriskay, along with its cargo of 260,000 bottles of whiskey. Locals salvaged an estimated 24,000 bottles before the ship was dynamited.